A smart speaker is a type of wireless speaker and voice command device. Some smart speakers can also act as a smart device that utilizes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other wireless equipment.

Tmall Genie Tmall Genie is a smart speaker developed by Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group. Introduced in July 2017, the device consists of 360-degree speakers and an LED light ring at the bottom. Like other smart speakers, the Genie can search the Internet, control home automation devices, and order products from Tmall.com. Voice interaction is currently only available in Mandarin.

Ding Dong Ding Dong is created by Chinese company LingLong. It was released in 2016 and has a height of 9.5 inches and has a square base. The device is capable of reading the news, weather updates, and online shopping. Versions are available that speak either Mandarin or Cantonese.

Mi AI The Mi AI Speaker, developed by Xiao Mi, will wake you up in the morning, read off your schedule, take notes and tell you about the weather. It can control other Mi Home devices such as the Mi Kettle, lights, and rice cooker. What’s more, you can even have it serve as a tutor for your kids, but it can only follow the command in Chinese.

Amazon Echo Amazon Echo is developed by Amazon, com. The device connects with the voice- controlled intelligent assistant service Alexa. The device is capable of voice interaction (in English, French, Chinese), music playback, setting alarms, and providing weather, traffic and other real-time information. It can also control several smart devices acting as a home automation system. The interesting function is that the latest version can order milk or other food materials on Amazon.com.

1. Who is most likely to buy a Ding Dong?

A．A young man who likes sports.

B．A student who likes learning English.

C．An old man who likes listening to the radio.

D．A kid who likes playing games online.

2. Which smart speaker can help a kid learn at home?

A．Tmall Genie	B．Mi AI
C．Ding Dong	D．Amazon Echo

3. What is an advantage of Amazon Echo over other smart speakers?

A．Its voice interaction is in different languages.

B．It has an easier access to the Internet.

C．It can be controlled by voice.

D．It controls home automation devices.

A British businessman with the lifelong dream of building a yacht (游艇) has almost achieved his goal. Mike Ludgrove is putting the finishing touches on the 60ft boat that he has spent the past 12 years crafting by hand. He has spent several thousands of hours on the classic sailing yacht that he has named “Helena”.

Ludgrove originally thought that he could complete his dream yacht in just three years. He soon realized, however, that both the timeline and budget were overly ambitious. To raise more funds, Ludgrove and his kind wife Elaine sold their London flat, their primary home in Exeter, Devon, and now live in a rented house. Five years ago, the couple sold their food business to raise additional money for the boat. Ludgrove also asked his son and some friends to work alongside him to make his dream a reality.

“Helena has been my dream for almost 40 years,” Ludgrove, who started working on the project in 2006, told the Daily Mail. “It has taken 12 years, and I have enjoyed most of it, although there have been some low points when I’ve wondered whether we were going to make it.

The boat is coated with fiberglass to protect the wood and has a captain’s room and two large cabins which can accommodate up to six people.

Ludgrove claims that his dream was inspired by a childhood experience when he participated in the London Sailing Project, a charitable foundation that gives young people the opportunity to experience a sailing adventure. “Helena” is due to launch, and Ludgrove hopes it will benefit young people who usually don’t have a chance to sail.

4. What does the underlined sentence in Para. 2 mean?

A．Building a yacht was impossible for Ludgrove.

B．It was wrong of Ludgrove to build a yacht by hand.

C．Ludgrove was trapped in a lack of time and money.

D．The problems of timeline and budget were easy to solve.

5. What are the attitudes of Ludgrove’s family and friends to his yacht-building plan?

A．Indifferent.	B．Doubtful.
C．Objective.	D．Supportive.

6. Why was Ludgrove determined to build a yacht?

A．It was his childhood dream.

B．It was part of his worldwide sailing plan.

C．He never sailed in the sea.

D．He wanted to memorize “Helena”.

7. What will Ludgrove do with “Helena” most probably?

A．Give it to the London Sailing Project for renting.

B．Inspire young people to have a chance to sail.

C．Set up a charitable foundation for “Helena”.

D．Sail around the world with his family and friends.

Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens are to start a war on gray-headed flying foxes. These super bats have invaded one of Australia’s most famous public spaces. Officials have said the animals are destroying trees and have to move on.

These unwanted guests at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens look like tiny foxes with wings. Officials have estimated there are about 11,000 of them living in the harbor-side park. After inspecting damage to dozens of trees they now believe there are twice as many as previously thought. Branches have been breaking under the weight of these furry invaders and their droppings have been poisoning plants.

Help may well be at hand, however, in the shape of the ordinary garbage bin. The gardens’ director Dr. Tim Entwistle hopes the unpleasant sounds of crashing bin lids will agitate the flying foxes and force them to move on. “The way to disturb them is to use noises, so we’ve used the loud noises made by rubbish bins in the past. You can also use speakers as long as you move the noise around, and what we’ll do is to have a series of noises, at the beginning and end of the day. What we’ve found in the past is that the flying foxes leave the gardens and go somewhere else,” said Tim.

The gray-headed flying fox is Australia’s largest bat. It flies around at night using its eyes and a powerful sense of smell to search for fruit and flowers. Officials at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney have said they’re optimistic the unwelcome colony can be uprooted. If and when the bats do move to other parts of the city they will of course then become someone else’s problem.

8. Why do people want to get rid of the flying foxes?

A．Because the gardens are important public places.

B．Because they are polluting the city.

C．Because many garbage bins have been damaged by them.

D．Because they’re threatening the survival of trees and other plants.

9. What are people doing to get rid of the flying foxes?

A．Shooting them.	B．Making loud noises.
C．Shaking the trees hard.	D．Cutting some trees down.

10. Which of the following can replace the underlined “agitate” in Paragraph 3?

A．excite	B．kill
C．disturb	D．discourage

11. What does the writer imply from the last paragraph?

A．The bats will still stay in the gardens.

B．Some other areas will have to deal with the bats.

C．The grey-headed flying fox often eats trees.

D．The damage caused by the bats is serious.

We give toys to kids who otherwise wouldn’t have them. Load bags with canned foods for the hungry. Make donations to those who need it. This time of year, it seems, we focus more on doing good and being good. Certainly, that’s not a bad thing.

Researchers at the University of California say that kindness, and related qualities like sympathy and compassion are actually a form of self preservation. Those who give more, get more. The most generous among us have greater influence and are more popular. Whereas, the unkind and unhelpful are more likely to be away from us. After all, it stands to reason, that if I’m paddling your lifeboat, you’ll keep me afloat a little longer.

So, is kindness motivated by our real concern for others or are we do-gooders because it makes us look good and shores up our position in the society? Probably both. Most of us really enjoy helping others. It makes us feel good, connected, happy and that makes for a more satisfying life. But, it doesn’t hurt that we also receive other rewards—status, cooperation, influence—that will help us survive and become successful.

Despite all the benefits, I tend most often toward kindness only when it’s convenient. That doesn’t mean I have bad manners. I say “my pleasure” and “thank — you”. I hold the door open for passengers. But, I could be kinder, more often. Sometimes I’m stopped from doing good by just how to do it. Sometimes, I’m just not thinking enough about others to recognize the need. Sometimes, I’m plain, a little selfish.

I’m working to be more aware of those around me. To slow down and move with patience and purpose on the freeway. To be more kind. My acts of kindness aren’t complex or flashy—I’m not the type. They aren’t expensive—I’m too cheap. But those things aren’t required. You don’t have to feel guilty that your kind gesture wasn’t as big as building a school in Africa. Kindness can be a small, simple act and still make an extremely large impact. Notice a need and then consciously offer a bit of yourself.

12. What do the researchers believe about kindness?

A．It is a behavior for self-protection and survival.

B．It reflects the generosity of human nature.

C．It advocates doing good or being good.

D．It makes people more and more selfish.

13. The third paragraph mainly explains why kindness is       .

A．a quality of sympathy	B．a concern for others
C．a win-win quality	D．an approach to donate

14. When will the author stop doing good according to Para 4?

A．When someone says he is selfish.

B．When he doesn’t know others’ needs.

C．When he is enjoying a satisfying life.

D．When someone has bad manners.

15. From the author’s point of view, kindness       .

A．can be something simple and practical

B．should be something impressive

C．starts from some grand and heroic actions

D．is a matter of awareness in cooperation